The Fake Date
by The Confused One
Summary: This idea came to me while watching 'Slither'. When Alex finds herself burned by another married man, Bobby steps in. BA
1. Making the 'date'

The Fake Date: Chapter 1

By: The Confused One

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, I don't own anything related to CI. I just wish I did.

Rating: T

Warnings: Just reference to a conversation in the episode "Slither."

Feedback: Please review. I'm a writer, trust me, I live for reviews. Thanks.

Archive: Feel free, just let me know where.

Summary: When Alex, once again, finds herself ending things with a married man, Bobby steps in to make sure she doesn't lose faith and gets more than he bargained for.

A/N: I found the reveal about Alex having dated several married men in "Slither" fascinating, and I am kind of assuming she didn't know they were married from her comments in the episode and knowing the character. Anyway, it intrigued me, and well, this is the result: a story.

Alex slammed the file on her desk as she sat down. Meeting the eyes of her now worried partner, Alex smiled slightly. She assured him, "I'm fine. I just had a crappy night last night. I'm still mad about it."

Bobby's interest was perked. Remembering Alex had had a date, he ventured, "Bad date?"

Alex snorted. Looking back up at him, she shook her head and replied, "That's putting it nicely. Do I have a sign on me somewhere that says 'gullible' or 'perfect for a secret affair'?"

Bobby shook his head. Knowing Alex's recent luck, he replied, "He wasn't."

Alex sighed. Sorting through her paperwork again, she admitted, "Oh yeah. Ran into his wife! Fourth lying married bastard in three months. I'm on some sort of streak."

Bobby smiled slightly. Regarding her a moment, he suggested, "Check for a tan line next time."

Alex's indignation was obvious. Ready to grab something to throw at him, she saw him smirk. She couldn't help but smile too. The whole situation was ridiculous. Looking down at her work, one more time, she quipped, "Your gender is mostly jerks you know."

Bobby stifled a laugh. He wasn't sure why, but he found her whole predicament amusing. Flipping the page on a report, he responded, "That's why too broad an assumption. Most of us aren't that bad. Your gender is the problem."

Grabbing a pen from the Santa mug, Alex threw it at him before countering, "You only believe that because you go for the psychos or the bimbo beauties."

Bobby did laugh this time. Grabbing her pen off of his report, he put it in his drawer to protect himself from it again. He reminded her, "Oh come on Eames. Not every guy is like that, and you know it."

Grabbing a new pen, she arched her eyebrows, almost daring him take it from her. Focusing on her work again, she mumbled, "I'm beginning to wonder."

Arching his eyebrows, Bobby decided to take that as a challenge. After a moment of debate with himself, he finally replied, "Let me take you out then, tonight. You know, just for fun and prove us both wrong."

In surprise, Alex's head shot back up. Meeting his eyes, she checked to see if he was serious. Seeing that he was, she smiled. As ridiculous as it was, she found the idea appealing. It would certainly beat the last few months of dates. She grudgingly agreed, "Alright. You want to try to change my mind? Pick me up at seven and surprise me."

Bobby smiled. Looking back at his paperwork, he was pleased. He hadn't been sure she'd agree, but he was glad that she had. If nothing else, it would be two friends having fun. Trying to focus on his paperwork, Bobby spent the rest of the day distracted by ideas of where he'd take her.

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As the day ended, Alex sighed. They had avoided the subject of dating and what they would do that night the whole day, and now it was time to go home. She surprised herself by actually being excited. It had been a long time since she had been excited about anything resembling a date. She found she always ended up disappointed. Alex found herself wondering what to wear. Gathering her things, she stood up. She was glad when this alone got his attention. She asked, "So, casual or dress up?"

Confused, Bobby asked, "What?"

Alex smiled. She clarified, "For tonight. Should I dress up or dress casual."

Bobby smiled, realizing what she meant. Getting his things ready to leave too, he answered, "Dress up."

Alex smiled and nodded. Heading for the elevators, she called back, "I'll see you at seven then."


	2. Dinner

The Fake Date: Chapter 2

By: The Confused One

A/N: Well, this would be considered part one of the 'date'. Enjoy all, and please remember to review. Thanks.

Bobby took a deep breath as he knocked on her door. He tried to calm his nerves, remembering that this was his partner. It was just Alex. It was stupid to be nervous with her. Yet, he was, and he was berating himself for it.

Opening the door, Alex smiled. She wasn't the least bit surprised it was him. Bobby was nothing if not punctual. She had been fighting her nerves since she had gotten home, and she felt silly for it. Looking him over, she smiled even more. He had shaven and everything. She thought, not for the first time, that he looked downright handsome. Reminding herself it was just Bobby, she greeted him, "Hey."

Bobby smiled and couldn't help but look her over too. With a smile, he replied, "You look good."

Alex smiled even more. Rubbing his cheek, she replied, "You look very good. You even shaved."

Bobby continued to smile. Trying to keep his mind off the feel of her hand, he asked, "Are you read?"

Alex smirked, knowing she had embarrassed him. Grabbing her purse on the counter just inside the door, she nodded and announced, "Yeah. I'm ready if you are."

Escorting her to his car, he teasingly warned, "You do realize you're going to have to relinquish control and let me drive for once, right?"

Alex laughed now. As he opened the car door for her, she slipped into the passenger seat and agreed, "Alright, as long as you don't drive like you're at the Indianapolis 500, again."

Bobby laughed now too as he closed her door and walked around the other side. Getting in, he replied, "I promise to be good."

As he started the car, Alex couldn't help herself, "So, where are we going?"

Bobby was the one smirking now. He let the question hang in the air in the moment, to torture her, before answering, "You'll see when we get there."

Alex continued to smile and found herself relaxing. This was easy. This was good. She playfully smacked him, before replying, "Alright. Fine. I can handle a surprise."

Bobby laughed. He promised, "We're going to a couple of places. Once we get to the first one, I'll tell you the other."

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Sitting down in the restaurant, Alex was overwhelmed and not entirely comfortable. The Restaurant 'One if by Land, Two if by sea' was expensive and known for romance. Leaning over, she voiced her concerns, "Bobby, I know we're doing this whole date for fun thing, but God, this place is expensive. You don't need to spend this much money on me. Spend it on a real…"

Bobby looked up from the menu and met her eyes. He smiled slightly and interrupted her, "I want to spend the money on you. Don't worry about it."

Alex sighed, trying not to think about how she could interpret what he had just said. She wouldn't let herself go there. Realizing she wasn't going to change his mind, she decided to drop the subject. He was determined to go all out and spend way too much money. She silently mused that she should have known that when he said dress up he meant he was taking her to one of the most expensive places in all of New York City. She finally quipped, "Alright, but I think I'm going to order the beef wellington."

Bobby laughed. He knew she knew how this menu worked. Everything was the same price, as long as you ordered an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. With a nod, he encouraged her, "Order whatever makes you happy Alex."

Alex stopped. Looking back up at him, she smiled. He hardly, if ever, called her Alex. It was nice to hear. Meeting his eyes, she replied, "You should call me Alex more often."

Bobby gave her a small smile. He decided to side-step the conversation and replied, "What do you want for your appetizer?"

Alex sighed. She could tell he wanted her to drop it, but she couldn't help it. She pushed anyway, "I know you respect me. You trust me. You don't have to prove that to me. I like it when you call me Alex."

Bobby finally met her eyes again. He sighed, realizing she wasn't going to just drop the subject. Hesitating for a moment, he finally replied, "Then, maybe I'll have to use it more often."

Alex smiled triumphantly. Looking back at the menu, she answered his other question, "I'm leaning towards the seasonal mushroom."

Bobby smiled. He nodded slightly and suggested, "The Parmesan Gnocchi is good."

Alex shrugged. Putting the menu down, she replied, "I think I'll stick with things I recognize. I swear you go through a menu and purposely order the strangest things you can find on it."

Before Bobby could respond the waiter approached the table. Once the food and drinks were ordered, Bobby turned his attention back to Alex. Watching her, he replied, "I don't choose the strangest thing on the menu."

Alex smirked. She shrugged and replied, "Sometimes it seems like it."

Bobby laughed. He quipped, "Unlike you, who chooses the safest thing they can find on the menu."

Laughing, Alex thought it was best if she changed the subject, "You promised me something though. You promised to tell me what we're doing next once we got here."

Bobby smiled, amused she'd remember. He revealed, "There's a gallery opening I thought I'd take you to."

Alex laughed. Shaking her head, she asked, "More Lucien Freud?"

Bobby laughed again too. He asked, "You remember the artist even?"

Alex laughed again. She reminded him, "Its one of those conversations that I would only have had with you and it sticks out."

Bobby smiled easily. He had to remind himself that this wasn't real. This was a 'fake' date, even if it felt right to him somehow. All of his nervousness of earlier had somehow vanished sometime during the conversation. He finally replied, "Well, we talked about going to some galleries one day, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to finally do that."

Alex was almost breathless for a moment. It was then that she realized he had really put thought into this and had come up with something that meant something to them both. Reminding herself that this 'date' was only for fun, she replied, "Yeah. We decided it would be fun, because our tastes are so different."

Bobby nodded. He was relieved she remembered. He hadn't been sure she would. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted the night to be memorable, for them both. He was fairly sure he was succeeding now.


	3. The Gallery

The Fake Date: Chapter 3

By: The Confused One

A/N: OK, well, I've spent hours trying to get this chapter right, and I'm still not sure it is. It's incredibly hard to make art interesting when you're not actually looking at it. LOL My dad is an artist. He's very good, but he's always refused to do anything commercial. Anyway, even with that background, I still don't think I described things quite right. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

Laughing, Alex followed Bobby to painting. She teased, "And this one? Great color scheme?"

Bobby laughed. Almost surprised, he asked, "You don't like it? It's got a real whimsical and romantic feel to it."

Alex smiled. Shaking her head, she sipped the complimentary wine and replied, "All I see is random paint on a canvas. I've never understood abstract. A painting is supposed to be something, represent something."

Bobby, amused, explained, "Abstract art does represent something. It's all about the, the design and the feelings that it evokes. I mean, see how evenly distributed the paint is on this one? The light strokes? The painting is about beauty itself. It's supposed to represent romance."

Alex looked at it carefully. She momentarily wished he would say something as eloquent and beautiful to her. Covering that desire, she rolled her eyes, and looked over at Bobby before announcing, "I swear. It's paint splatter."

Bobby laughed now. Looking up at the next painting, he promised, "Well, no more abstracts. We're back to the landscapes."

Alex smiled slightly as she approached the piece. She revealed, "Remember when I told you about wanting a horse farm when I was little? I swear, this painting reminds me of how I pictured it in my head."

Bobby smiled now too and commented, "It's pretty."

Alex crinkled her nose as she smiled and explained, "Even prettier in my head."

Bobby nodded, knowing she was right. He knew it would be prettier in her head, if for no other reason than she would have been there. Focusing on the painting, he critiqued out loud, "The shadowing could be better though."

Alex looked at the painting and argued, "The shadowing is fine. What's wrong with the shadowing?"

Bobby explained, "You see how the shadow on the barn? Now look at the shadow on the fence. It's slightly off."

Alex laughed and rolled her eyes. She teased, "Only you would see that. It's not really even noticeable, unless the person looking is you or its being pointed out to you."

Bobby shrugged and agreed, "You're probably right."

Alex looked at him thoughtfully. Finishing her wine, she smiled and pointed out the next piece, "That one is central park."

Bobby followed her over and nodded. Looking it over, he agreed, "Yeah. It's Central Park West. It's a well done painting too."

Alex smiled and teased, "No glaring shadowing problems?"

Bobby smiled back at her and assured her, "No. I don't really see any."

Alex rolled her eyes and simply replied, "Good."

Bobby continued to smile as they moved on to the next piece. He studied it as Alex found someone to give her empty glass too. He knew she was approaching him again, without even looking to see. He explained to her, "This one is definitely too pretty."

Alex rolled her eyes and studied it herself. She disagreed, "It's a nice painting of a lake Bobby. I like it."

Bobby shrugged. He simply explained, "It's alright."

Alex shook her head and laughed. She playfully chastised him, "You're impossible. I don't understand how you can call this too pretty. How can anything truly be too pretty?"

Bobby watched her for a moment. A part of him wanted to say she was right. There was on thing that he didn't find too pretty, her. She was perfection, and a part of him wanted to tell her that. Pushing it aside, he finally focused on the painting again and found the right words, "I'm looking for something that engages me. Most of these pieces, don't."

Alex looked from the painting to him and sighed. Looking back at the painting again, she finally responded, "You think too much Bobby. That's your problem."

Bobby smiled. With a nod, he accepted her words, "Sometimes. It's what I'm good at."

Alex looked at him once again. She gave him a crooked smile and reassured him, "That's not all you're good at."

Bobby smiled slightly. He continued to the next painting, announcing, "Well this is the last one."

Alex nodded. Studying the painting, she smiled and explained, "When I was a kid, my dad used to take up to amusement parks every summer. My favorite thing was always the merry-go-rounds, like this one, with him. When I was really little he'd let me sit in his lap. When I was that age, I could never get enough of my superhero dad, the cop."

Bobby smiled a little. He liked hearing about her childhood. She always had better memories than he did. He was glad for that. He couldn't stand the thought of her having to go through some of the things he went through. Looking over at her, he replied, "Made you feel special and safe."

Alex looked over at him and smiled. It was a statement, not a question. With a nod, she agreed with his analysis, "Yeah."

Bobby nodded slightly and focused back on the piece, "It's an interesting merry-go-round."

Studying it, she agreed, "Yeah. Most merry-go-rounds are horses. I like the jungle theme. It says here, under it, that it's in France."

Bobby nodded. He absently replied, "Hum. Maybe, one day."

Alex smirked. She offered, "You planning a trip to France?"

Bobby shrugged and followed her towards the door. He finally offered, "Like I said, maybe someday."


	4. Ending the Night

The Fake Date: Chapter 4

By: The Confused One

A/N: Well, I figured we had to have a little angst. It wouldn't be any fun if I made too easy now would it? LOL Please enjoy the chapter, and remember to review. LOL Thanks.

As Bobby pulled into the parking space, he realized just how much he didn't want the night to end. He wasn't sure when his real feelings had gotten all mixed into what he was trying to do for her, but he knew then that they had. Then it occurred to him that he had never managed to separate his feelings that night. From the very beginning he had treated it like a real date, and he wished it was, and he knew he couldn't admit that. He could never tell her. He was convinced that it was only him, and it would chase her away. He was sure that he'd lose her, and he couldn't lose her. So, he silently suffered.

Alex sighed, knowing this was it. She'd have to say goodnight, go into her apartment, see him at work the next day, and continue to pretend she didn't love him. She was too afraid of the slight possibility of rejection and disrupting things at work to say anything. So, she silently suffered.

Looking over at him, Alex almost smiled. She knew it was an understatement, but she didn't have much else. So, she broke the silence, "This was nice."

Bobby smiled slightly. Meeting her eyes, he agreed, "It was very nice."

Watching him, it finally hit Alex, completely. He was feeling the same thing she was. Her chest tightened. She decided to test the water slightly and gauge his reaction. Looking away, she honestly confessed, "Thank you. This was actually more fun than all the dates I've had in the past six months combined."

Bobby laughed. He had teased her earlier, but a large part of it was to conceal the anger and pain he felt every time he heard about another jerk she was dating. He wanted to track them down and hurt them for hurting her. She deserved so much better, and he wanted to give her that. He wanted her happy, and he wanted her with someone who deserved her. He was fairly sure that disqualified him three times over. He wasn't nearly good enough. Meeting her eyes again, he replied, "The right guy is out there. You're settling."

Alex smiled triumphantly now. Despite her hesitancy to jump into something with him because of work, she couldn't help but goad him, "Oh yeah? Where is he?"

Bobby was suddenly dumbstruck. That had been the last thing he expected her to say. He recovered quickly and realized she was waiting for an answer. He wanted to say 'me', but he knew better. Instead, he shrugged and lamely offered, "I don't know."

Alex sighed. She had hoped he'd be more obvious. She figured that they were so used to hiding these feelings that they were both able to avoid being tripped up fairly easily. She looked out the windshield and decided to go at him another way, "I still think you spent too much on dinner."

Bobby laughed. Without realizing what she was doing, he plowed ahead, "Don't worry about that. I wanted to spend the money."

Turning to face him, she smiled again. She decided it was time to call it a night. Before she realized what exactly was coming out of her mouth, she asked, "Did you want to come up? Have some coffee?"

Bobby's eyes instantly snapped to hers. He saw a mixture of emotions there that he was fairly sure contradicted each other. Turning away, he replied, "That's probably not a good idea. We have to be at the office early."

Alex suddenly realized she had been holding her breath. Letting it out, she tried to figure out if she was relieved or disappointed. She decided it had to be both. Relief because he didn't seem to be reacting like there was anything suggestive about her invitation and because she feared what crossing that line would do to their partnership. The disappointment was all about how much she wanted him. She did want him. She just wanted to lean over and kiss him. Alex decided she needed to get out of the car before she did something she'd regret. With a nod, she shoved her disappointment down and agreed, "Right. Work. Thank you, Bobby. Tonight was perfect. I'm not sure either of us achieved our goal, but it was fun."

Bobby laughed. He had to agreed, "Yeah."

Getting out, Alex cheerfully replied, "Goodnight, Bobby."

Bobby nodded and watched her go into her apartment. With a sigh, he started the car again and drove away.

Once inside her apartment, Alex leaned against the door and took a deep breath. After a moment, she groaned and walked to her room. She didn't know for sure, but she worried that she and Bobby had opened something that they couldn't easily close.


	5. Miscommunication

The Fake Date: Chapter 5

By: The Confused One

A/N: Well, I had to bring on the angst. I promise to make things happier, in the upcoming chapters. LOL Enjoy the chapter, and please remember to review. Thanks.

Alex, irritated, sighed as she walked into her apartment. In frustration, she threw her things onto her couch. It had been a long and very awkward day at work. She didn't know what to say for most of the day. She realized Bobby hadn't either. Plopping herself down on her couch, she knew she needed to do something about this. Bobby never would. He'd let them drift further away from each other and finally fall apart, and then he'd act like he didn't understand what had happened. She silently cursed him for being so blind and scared. With another sigh, she cursed herself for the same thing.

Grabbing her phone, Alex dialed number two on her speed dial. When Bobby finally answered, Alex cryptically asked, "Can you come over?"

Panic started to grip Bobby. He wasn't stupid. He knew what she wanted to talk about, his obvious feelings for her. It had made things awkward all day. He was convinced that he had tipped his hand too much, and now she wanted to cut him loose. Fearing what she was going to say, he tried to find an excuse not to come. He finally settled on a lie that he hoped would be half-way plausible, "I...have a date."

Alex closed her eyes. She felt like she had just gotten kicked in the stomach. Anger, pain, and confusion coursed through her. Reeling, she was suddenly unsure of the night before. _Had she imagined the look in his eyes? Had she misread the signs? Had she misread Bobby?_ The idea that she could misread Bobby bothered her more than words could say. Regaining her composure after a moment, she replied, "OK. That's OK. I guess I'll see you in the morning then?"

Bobby sighed, relieved that she believed the lie, "Yeah. Night, Eames."

Hanging up the phone, Alex took a deep breath. She sat stunned. Her whole world was off-kilter now. Her sense of purpose and place was suddenly gone. She was always the one who could understand and read Bobby. She was always able to keep him grounded. She always knew what he needed and how he felt. Without that, she was lost, and no longer knew where she stood in their relationship. She was left wondering how she could have misread him so horribly. If he felt the way she felt after the 'date', he wouldn't be going out so soon. She knew that. Bobby was not a callous person. He didn't just turn his feelings on and off. She was sure that after last night, if he felt the way she did, he would be at home trying to analyze it all.

Crying over lost love wasn't Alex Eames' style, but she was tempted to as she sat there. She wasn't the type that needed a man's constant approval. She didn't need a man to feel whole, but even so, she was feeling rather empty in that moment. The only thing she was sure of between them now was that he didn't love her, at least not like she loved him. She was only comforted by the idea that at least she knew before she humiliated herself by telling him how she felt. That rejection would have about killed her.

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Bobby walked into his apartment, feeling like a coward. Disgusted with himself for running away again, he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. Sitting at his kitchen table, he let his mind wander as he drank. He wasn't sure how deep she thought his feelings were, but he knew she knew they were there. Her attitude all day told him that. Things had been tense and awkward between them. It was something else that was his fault. He had opened the box, and now he didn't have to courage to shut it or confront it.

Bobby could never allow for the possibility that Alexandra Eames could possibly love him, so he ran, again. He was hiding from her. He was hiding from his feelings, like he really thought it would fix everything. Bobby knew that things were only going to get worse between them unless they confronted this, but he couldn't bring himself to do it yet. He couldn't taint the memories of the 'date' with rejection just yet. Taking a swig of his beer, Bobby chastised himself for being so selfish. Sometimes he felt more like his father than he was comfortable with. This was one of those times. He was going to ruin the best thing that had ever happened to him, because he wanted to hold onto a few lousy memories. Bobby felt downright stupid and pathetic.

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Alex sat wondering when it had happened. She couldn't figure out when she had let her feelings blind her ability to read Bobby. That ability was something she prided herself on. It was something they both counted on in the interrogation room and at crime scenes. Without it, she was worried about him and them. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It had been a very long time since she had felt like this. It had been a long time since she hadn't been sure of Bobby. She tried to tell herself that the weirdness they had experienced all day was her, but she couldn't. Every time she thought about the 'date' and the day they had just suffered through, she was convinced a little more that her instincts were right. She was convinced she was reading him right. It made her head swim because she couldn't reconcile it with the idea of him going on a date the next night. It didn't make any sense to her. It kept bringing her back to square one. Her instincts had been wrong.

Finally getting up, Alex walked into her kitchen. She knew she should eat, even though she didn't feel like it. Her stomach was churning, and her heart was broken.


	6. Caught

The Fake Date: Chapter 6

By: The Confused One

A/N: Sorry, we still have some angst left. So, please enjoy and remember to review, and, as always, special thanks to InfinityStar. I couldn't do it without you.

Alex sat contemplating her options as she finished eating. Her first impulse was to strike back at Bobby in fit of jealousy: get sexed up, go to a bar, get drunk, make a date or two, and rub it in Bobby's face the next day. She fairly immediately dismissed the plan as juvenile and pointless. She was sure he had no idea how much she was hurting. The one thing she still felt she knew was that Bobby would never hurt her on purpose. She decided it would just backfire on her. He'd just be happy for her and encourage her, not be the least bit jealous, when she told him. That would only hurt worse.

With a sigh, Alex cleaned the dishes and let her mind wander through the day again. The feeling that something wasn't adding up about Bobby's attitude kept gnawing at her. Something was wrong. Grabbing her purse and coat, she took off out the door. She had to be sure. She had to know.

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Bobby stared glumly at the TV. Not even 'Modern Marvels' on the history channel was distracting him from his thoughts about Alex. Hearing someone unlocking his door, he stood up. Surprised to see Alex, he nearly squeaked when he said her name. He knew he was caught, somehow, and she was going to yell, and he knew he deserved to be yelled at.

Alex stared at him for a long moment, before unleashing how hurt she was. "You're lying to me now? You'd rather sit here in your apartment alone than to see me?"

Bobby knew, even more than before, that he had been incredibly stupid. He tried to explain, "I'm sorry. I just…couldn't face you after today."

Alex shook her head and replied, "That makes me feel so much better, Bobby. Do you have any idea how much last night meant to me? Apparently, it meant absolutely nothing to you."

Bobby watched, stunned, as Alex stormed back out of his apartment. He was angry with himself and the idea that it took her showing up and practically spelling out how she felt to him to get him to see it and to get him to do something about it. He couldn't leave things the way they were. He had spent most of his life hiding. He decided at that moment that it had to stop. Alex was worth fighting for.

Running out after Alex, Bobby called her name. She didn't respond or stop. Catching up to her as she reached her car, he grabbed her arm and spun her around. Meeting her eyes, he insisted, "I'm sorry. Really, I am. I didn't think. I was a coward and a jerk. I got scared, and I panicked. I was afraid of what you were going to say."

Alex jerked her arm away from him, effectively causing her to hit her elbow against the car. Wincing, she instinctively grabbed her injured arm. Rubbing it, she looked down at it.

Bobby took the opportunity to reach out and touch her arm. He tried to apologize, "I'm sorry. Let me see it."

Glaring at him, Alex was both glad and disappointed when he removed his arm. She continued to lash out, "Just back off, Bobby. I don't want to talk right now. I can't seem to decide if I'm sorry I came, because you have no idea what it did to me to think you were going out on a date after last night."

Rubbing his face, Bobby apologized once more, "I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I honestly…thought it was all me. I thought…you wanted to tell me you didn't feel the same, and I couldn't…deal with that."

Shaking her head, Alex opened the door to the SUV. She was done. "I'm leaving. I don't want to talk about this right now."

Bobby watched as she started the car and sped off. He knew this was all his fault, and he began wracking his brain for ways to fix it. He had to make things right. He had to make things up to her. Taking a deep breath, he walked back into his apartment, silently cursing himself again for being so stupid and being such a coward.

Sitting down, a couple of ideas came to him. Grabbing the phone book and a sheet of paper, Bobby decided he had some calls to make first thing in the morning. He had to hope Alex could forgive him. He hoped he could clean up the mess he had made of things.


	7. Bagels and a Truce

The Fake Date:

By: The Confused One

A/N: And the angst continues… somewhat. LOL My heartfelt thanks go out to InfinityStar, of course, for the beta job. Please enjoy and remember to review. Thanks.

Alex sighed as she dragged herself out of bed. She was relieved and disappointed both that Bobby hadn't tried to call or come by. Making her way to the kitchen, Alex began her morning coffee. After another couple of minutes she was surprised by a knock at the door. Confused, she looked through the peep hole to see Bobby. She resisted the urge to groan. She had spoken too soon, and that irritated her. Frowning, she decided to ignore him. She wasn't sure she was up to dealing with him yet. She was still hurting. Trying to walk softly into the kitchen, she was startled by his voice, "Alex, I hear you in there. I know you're up. I could just come in."

Closing her eyes, Alex sighed. Storming over to the door, she unlocked it and threw it open. She demanded, "What do you want?"

Picking up the paper bag from the floor, he presented it to her and explained, "I brought those bagels you like, the ones with the berries in them from that bakery shop close to my place. I also got some cream cheese. I want to talk."

Snatching the bag from him, Alex smirked in spite of herself. She suddenly felt a little better. The prospect of comfort food always did that for her. Looking in the bag, she teased, "This can be taken as bribery, Detective."

Bobby smiled a little. Relieved that she was already in a better mood, he pressed his luck. "Whatever works. Can I come in?"

Watching him a moment, Alex debated the merits of letting him into her apartment when she was half dressed and their emotions were all over the place. She asked, "How long have you been at my door?"

Bobby was relieved when the door wasn't closed in his face and she headed to the kitchen with the food. It was her silent permission for him to enter. He followed her inside and closed the door. Locking it, he admitted, "About twenty minutes. I didn't just want to just come in. I was waiting for you to get up. I knew I'd hear you."

Grabbing two plates, Alex began splitting up the bagels. She reminded him, "I'm a sucker for these bagels. You know that, but it's going to take more than these to fix this, Bobby."

Bobby nodded. He did understand. Taking the plate she was offering, he sat down and agreed, "I know. I was hoping for something to get in the door."

Alex smiled again. She commented, "You know me too well."

Bobby shrugged and replied, "Apparently not, or I wouldn't have screwed this up so bad. What do you think would have happened if I had come up that night?"

Alex poured two cups of coffee and thought about her answer for a moment. She honestly replied, "I don't think anyone would have been able to hold me responsible for what happened. Why didn't you come up?"

Bobby smiled slightly as he took one of the cups from her. He replied, "I assumed you didn't mean it how I wanted to take it. I thought it was best if I just didn't."

Alex shook her head. Sipping her coffee, she replied dryly, "You should stop assuming. It only gets you into trouble."

Bobby genuinely smiled now. With a nod, he explained, "So there isn't further confusion, I love you, Alex. I was too wrapped in trying to make sure you didn't see how much to notice you felt anything close to the same. I didn't think it was possible. I didn't think you felt it. That's the closest I have to an explanation for my behavior. Let me ask you something though. If you felt it too and could tell how I felt, why didn't you actually say anything the other night?"

Sitting down next to him, Alex put her plate and coffee down, and knew this was it. This was their one chance to start getting this right. She quickly confessed, "To clear up future confusion, I love you, too. I came so close to kissing you in the car. I held back because of us. I kept thinking about us. I kept thinking about our friendship and our partnership. I was afraid of hurting that delicate thing we seem to have at work. They yesterday happened. That's why I called last night. I realized there was no going back. Trying to ignore it and avoid it was hurting us worse than dealing with it. There is no 'just friends' with us anymore, and I don't think there has been for years, even if we wanted to get it back. Somewhere along the way we both fell in love, and we can't function anymore in the 'friend zone'. That's what happened yesterday. We were too hyper aware of our feelings. We were trying so hard to remember how to just be friends and keep our boundaries that we forgot that we hardly have any boundaries left."

Bobby finally met her eyes. She had given him more than he had expected, and he wasn't sure what to do with it all. He watched her spread cream cheese on part of a bagel. After a moment, he found his voice again, "God, I'm so sorry about last night. I never ever meant to hurt you. I was stupid and trying to protect myself. I didn't think it possible for you to love me."

Alex smiled slightly. Sipping her coffee, she replied, "That's your problem, Bobby. You can never seem to see what other people see in you, and you don't think you deserve better than the bottom of the barrel, as far as women are concerned."

Bobby arched his eyebrows and sipped his coffee before he replied, "The same could be said for you."

Alex snorted and nodded. Picking apart her bagel she agreed, "Probably. Honestly, with each and every one of them, the signs were there. I just ignored them, which was stupid. They were horrible substitutes for you. I think a part of me was doing it on purpose, trying to distract myself without having to get too involved."

Watching her, he knew this was his chance. This was his one opportunity to get them back on the right path. He had to put his plan into motion. With more courage, he ventured, "Maybe we could…should start over. Do you have plans tonight?"

Alex smiled broadly. She teased, "I don't think we ever really got started."

Bobby smiled, too, and agreed, "Yeah." After a moment, he asked, "Is that a yes?"

She ran her hand across his cheek. She was trying to soften the blow with a little reassurance, because she knew he wasn't going to like what she was about to say. She explained, "Bobby, I need a couple of days. I need some space. Talk to me then."

Bobby was afraid that she would say something like that. He desperately didn't want her to push him away. He needed her in his life. Refusing to give up, just yet, he pushed a little, "Alex, I want to make this up to you."

Alex nodded. She assured him, "I know, and you'll get to. Just give me a couple of days first. It's been a very revealing couple of days, and I, for one, need a little breathing room."

Bobby sighed, defeated. His hopes were dashed now, but he couldn't be angry with her. He had caused this, and he was just going to have to wait for her to come to him. She wasn't trying to punish him, just pull herself back together. He relented, "Alright."

Alex closed her eyes. It was all she could do to not touch him again. She wouldn't be able to stop anything after that. Meeting his eyes, she offered, "You should go. I need to get ready now, or I'm going to be late."

Bobby nodded. He still needed a final bit of reassurance. "I'll see you at the station?"

Giving him a small smile, Alex understood. Nodding, she reassured him, "Of course."

With that, Alex sighed as she heard her door open, close, and lock. Grabbing the plates and cups, Alex put them in the sink and hoped she hadn't just pushed him too far away. She needed him too, but she also needed to get her head on straight. She wasn't going into their relationship emotional and still getting over the slight stab of pain the night before had given her.


	8. Sister Talk

The Fake Date: Chapter 8

By: The Confused One

A/N: A major reason this chapter has taken so long is because…this is like the third version of it. LOL I was going to go in a completely different direction, but I settled on this. Please enjoy and remember to review. Thanks.

Pulling into a parking space, Alex was exhausted, but she was still able to smile a little. It had been a long and hard day, but things with Bobby had been a bright spot. Things were almost completely back to normal. She absently decided that she would spend the evening curled up on the couch talking to her sister, Julie. It would be Alex's way of venting so that she could talk to Bobby in the morning with a clear head.

Getting out of her car, she hesitated a moment. She smirked now. There was a long slender box in front of her apartment door. It was obviously flowers, and she instinctively knew they were from Bobby. Picking the box up, she made her way inside and into her kitchen. Laying the box on the counter, she picked up the card and read:

_Alex,_

_I know I promised to give you a little space, but I couldn't help myself. I won't let this slip through our fingers. You really are the world to me._

_I love you always,_

_ Bobby_

Closing her eyes, she put the card to her chest. She wished it smelled like him. She wanted to be near him. She wanted him. With a soft sigh, she laid the card down and opened the box. Smiling at the beautiful roses, she proceeded to find a vase to put them in.

After cleaning the dusty vase, she filled it with water and carefully transferred the roses into it. She happily grabbed the phone. She prepared to speed-dial his number and stopped. Shaking her head, she frowned and sighed. She wanted to talk to him, but she just couldn't do it yet. She was giving herself the night. Instead she dialed her sister's number.

Plopping onto the couch, she heard the familiar voice of her younger sister. "Well, she finally calls."

Alex smiled in spite of herself. She quickly replied, "Sorry, Julie. I know I promised to call a couple of nights ago, but something came up."

Pulling out a spoon from the drawer and then a yogurt out of the refrigerator, Julie responded, "I figured. I swear that job owns you sometimes."

With a sigh, Alex admitted, "I know, but it wasn't really the job this time. It was…Bobby."

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Julie stopped. This sounded ominous. She tried to joke, "What about your partner? You finally tell him how you feel?"

With a slight smile, Alex confessed, "Yeah. And he admitted he felt the same."

Stunned and in disbelief, Julie wasn't sure what to say. She had been mostly joking. She hadn't expected that her sister had seriously finally said something. The yogurt forgotten, Julie squealed with delight. She announced, "It's about time!"

Alex shook her head and tried to temper her sister's excitement. "But we're not really…together yet. It got complicated"

Arching her eyebrows, Julie was confused and didn't like the sound of what Alex was telling her. With a sigh, she asked, "What happened? Why aren't you two a couple yet? What's complicated about you love him and he loves you? I'd kill to find that."

Alex laughed now. She explained, "We're also partners, and we're…us. It can get plenty complicated."

Julie shook her head. Irritated, she demanded, "Well, start from the beginning. We're going to fix this. You two have been pining for each other for years. I'm not letting you mess it up."

Alex smirked. She started from the beginning, the break-up with married bastard number four. Getting to the flowers, Alex was relieved that Julie hadn't said a word yet.

Julie finally burst out laughing. Shaking her head, she explained to her older sister, "You're an idiot."

Alex sat up now and replied, "Excuse me?"

Julie laughed. Getting up, Julie placed the yogurt back into the refrigerator and replied, "Look, I get it. He was stupid, but you're being the stupid one now. You're making this way too complicated. He feels bad about it, and he wants to move forward. He wants to be you with you. You _have_ forgiven him. So forget what happened before. Just be with him and be happy. You both deserve that much. You shouldn't be talking to me right now. You should be sweating up the sheets in your bedroom."

Alex sniggered. Leaning back against the cushions again, she tried to make her sister understand, "It's not about that, Julie. I didn't say I wasn't going to be with him. I just…didn't want to screw it up. Our relationship and feelings have been all over the map the last few days. I just want to make sure we have ourselves pulled together before jumping into things."

Julie shook her head and argued, "Are you really, seriously, and honestly trying to tell me you're afraid Bobby is a rebound guy? Did you really even care about Daniel when you were dating? Were you really that upset when you found out about Elizabeth, his wife? Do you really think that the feelings you and Bobby have had for each other for years now are just going to vanish? Do you really think Daniel and all the other losers you've dated recently weren't the actual rebounds?"

Defeated, Alex admitted, "It's not a question of my feelings for him. I just wanted to process everything and make sure we're both on the same page and able to make this work."

Walking into her bedroom, Julie pushed, "That's great. Really, it is. It's noble, but you think too much. In fact, you both think too much. I think it's fairly obvious that you both are on the same page now and you've processed it all. If you wait any longer, I'm going to start suspecting something else is going on with you."

Alex smirked. Getting up, she headed for the kitchen and promised, "I'm going to talk to him first thing in the morning, I promise."

Julie pulled out her pajamas and smiled as she spoke, "Good. And get the damn kiss you've been dreaming about for the last four years. I swear, your sexual frustration is starting to rub off on me, and that is just not acceptable."

Alex laughed as she pulled out the items needed for a salad. After a moment, she responded, "You keep talking like that and I might not tell you what happens tomorrow."

Julie smirked. She teasingly asked, "Who else would you tell?"

Alex snorted as she washed a green pepper. She reminded Julie, "I have friends, and we have another sister."

Julie laughed. She relented, "Alright. Alright. Good luck tomorrow, and call me, please. I want to know. You deserve to be happy, and he makes you happy."

Alex grabbed the knife and began chopping the pepper as she agreed, "Thank you. Good night, Julie."

Julie smiled wryly and replied, "Night, Alex."

Alex sighed as she hung up the phone and put it down. Smiling, she finished making her salad and went over her plan for the morning in her head.


	9. Going to Lunch

The Fake Date: Ch. 9

By: The Confused One

A/N: I know this chapter has taken awhile, but here it is. I apologize, and the next one won't take nearly as long. Enjoy the chapter, and please remember to review. Thanks.

Alex smiled as she walked into the bullpen. Bobby was already working. Alex wasn't even a little surprised and completely unable to suppress her smile. She knew he was too distracted to notice her entrance. Walking up behind him, she leaned over his shoulder, like she was looking at the file with him, and whispered, "Thank you for the flowers."

Bobby jumped slightly. He grinned at her as he met her eyes. Keeping eye contact till she sat down, he replied, "You're welcome."

Grinning, she picked up the coffee sitting on her desk and took a sip. She appreciated the gesture. He always made sure she had a fresh cup of coffee in the morning. Looking up at him, she felt a pang of guilt for dragging things out further. When he looked up at her again and met her eyes, she replied, "We need to talk, but not right now or right here. Wait till lunch."

Bobby had long since found that he never liked conversations that started like this. With a sigh, he nodded. Feeling a little nervous, he went back to his file and tried to concentrate, commenting, "Several of Hanes' neighbors remember seeing a woman at his apartment several times the week he died. He was dating someone."

Looking back up at him, Alex arched her eyebrows and asked, "Any idea who?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Glancing up from the computer, Alex watched as Bobby pinched the bridge of his nose and put a report down. Deciding that he needed a break, she glanced at the clock and smiled. _Perfect timing._ She sighed, hoping he'd look up at her. She wasn't disappointed. When his eyes met hers, she smiled and suggested, "Come on. It's almost one. We're going to lunch."

Bobby was startled for a moment. Looking at his watch, he realized how late it was. Looking at Alex again, he nodded. He was still nervous. He wasn't sure where her head was or what she had planned for this lunch, but he knew he needed both the break from work and to have this conversation with Alex. He finally meekly agreed, "Alright. Where do you want to go?"

Alex smiled softly. Getting up, she saw it on his face. Resisting the urge to touch him and give him some reassurance, she spoke softly, "This is a good conversation. I promise."

Daring to hope she meant what he thought she meant, Bobby smiled again and gave a more confident nod. Grabbing his things, he quickly followed her to the elevator and gently reminded her, "We, uh, still didn't decide where we were going."

Alex continued to smile. She was going to enjoy this, a lot. Stepping into the elevator, she coyly explained, "It's a surprise."

Bobby was intrigued and looked over at her. Realizing she wasn't going to volunteer anymore information, he prodded, "Do I get a hint?"

Alex smirked and teasingly informed him, "No."

Amused, Bobby watched her get off the elevator. Following her, he replied, "Alright. I'll play. We're obviously not going anywhere close by or we'd just walk."

Alex rolled her eyes and insisted, "Don't try to guess, Bobby. It's called a surprise for a reason." When he started to speak again, she insisted, "Just trust me."

Bobby nodded and wisely decided not to push anymore. He didn't miss the enjoyment she was getting from this. Getting into the passenger's seat, he commented, "It's just, last time you said 'trust me', I ended up in the dunking booth at your niece's middle school's spring fling...thing."

Alex smirked and tried not to laugh. She remembered that day a few months back very vividly. She remembered just how good she thought he looked wet and how much she wanted to kiss him. She remembered how much she wanted to take the towel from him, dry him off, and let it lead to so much more. Shaking the memory, she assured him, "We're not going to any middle schools, I promise."

Bobby smiled. With a nod, he replied, "Well, that's nice to know, because it was freezing that day. I sat in that thing soaking wet and shivering for the better part of five hours."

Unable to hold it in any longer, Alex did laugh now. She teasingly retorted, "Please, Bobby. I was there. Don't play victim with me. You had fun, and we both know it."

Bobby was still smiling as he answered, "Yeah, I did. You're right."

Smiling triumphantly, Alex assured him, "Still not where we're going though."

Shaking his head, he teased, "You're being awfully mysterious about this."

Alex snorted and insisted, "Because it's a surprise, Bobby. You do know the meaning of the word, right?"

Arching his eyebrows, Bobby playfully relented, "Yes, I do, and I wouldn't dream of taking away the pleasure of unveiling your surprise from you."

Rolling her eyes, Alex commented, "Yes, you would. You're dying to take it away from me. Not knowing something makes you crazy."

Bobby laughed now and commented, "You're right. Not knowing is killing me."

Alex smirked and promised, "It won't be much longer."

Relenting, Bobby agreed, "OK."

Relaxed, Alex smiled easily and finished the drive in silence. Pulling into the parking lot, she noticed Bobby sitting up out of the corner of her eye. Beaming, she commented, "We're here."

With a nod, Bobby established, "I see that." Looking at her, he was suddenly very unsure of himself. He asked, "Why are we here?"

Parking, Alex had to keep from laughing. She assured him, "To eat, Bobby. What else?"

Arching his eyebrows, Bobby commented, "I'm…not sure."

Suppressing laughter, Alex teased, "Don't worry. There will be no sex for you this afternoon."

With a smirk, Bobby teased, "Worried is not really the word I'd use to describe what I was thinking."

Alex snickered. Looking at him, she commented, "It takes at least dinner hot shot."

Bobby laughed. With a soft sigh, he reached out and rubbed her cheek for a moment. He quietly promised, "I'll give you more than that."

Alex smiled softly. She just wished he'd touch her again. Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Come on. Lunch is waiting inside. I thought it would be more relaxing and easier to talk here than at a restaurant somewhere."

Watching her for a long moment, Bobby gave her a ghost of a smile. He finally replied, "You thought this through."

With a nod, Alex reassured him, "Yes, I have."

Watching her get out of the car, Bobby did the same. Meeting her at the front of the car, he asked, "What did you fix?"

With a laugh, Alex began walking towards her apartment. She called over her shoulders, "Sandwiches, Bobby. Just sandwiches."


	10. Interruptions

The Fake Date: Ch. 10

By: The Confused One

A/N: Finally this chapter is finished and ready to post. It was like pulling teeth to get it done. This chapter did not like me at all. My muse wanted to go one direction, and my head wanted to another. I'll let you decide which one finally won. LOL Special thanks to Sassy for the beta job. I really appreciate it. Please enjoy and remember to review. Thanks.

Watching Alex sit down, Bobby took his plate from her. The sandwich was pastrami on rye, and the chips were regular. Meeting her eyes, he couldn't help but smile. Something about this felt so different, felt so right. There was certain ease between them. There were benefits to already knowing each other as well as they did. He finally broke the silence. "I didn't think you even liked pastrami."

Alex smiled. Grabbing her own plate, she sat it down so that he could tell it was turkey. "I don't. You said it yourself. I planned this."

Bobby grinned in return. Meeting her eyes, he swallowed a bite of his sandwich. "Alex, I'm still really sorry about…what happened."

Alex put her turkey sandwich down. _So he wants to do this now. We can do that. That's fine._ She never lost eye contact. She reached over and took his free hand. "I know you are, Bobby. I guess it comes down to several things. I love you. I know you love me, and I would really like to just start over and forget the last few days."

Bobby met her eyes. He gave her hand a squeeze. Something inside him settled and relief took hold. He easily agreed, "Yeah… I'd like that." Despite her declaration of love and reassurance, he was nervous. He had to do this. He had to ask the question. Searching her eyes for a moment, he ventured, "Are you busy tonight?"

Alex smiled. She shook her head. "No. No, I'm not." She gave his hand a soft squeeze to encourage him.

Bobby grinned. His eyes never left hers. "Good. I'd…like to take you out."

Alex gave him a broad smile now. She nodded emphatically. She was struck by how cute he was when he was nervous. "I'd love that."

Completely relaxing, he offered, "I'll pick you up at seven?"

Alex relaxed. She gave him a smile. "Sounds perfect." Eating a chip, she let go of his hand. She was completely happy. She was getting everything she had wanted. "You know, I called Julie last night. She said we're both idiots and think too much."

Bobby laughed at that. He nodded in agreement. "She's right about that, at least when it comes to me. I am an idiot who thinks too much. I made this a lot more complicated than it should be." He leaned closer to her.

Searching his eyes for a moment, she tried to assure him, "It's really OK. It's in the past now."

Bobby reached out and cupped her cheek. "I want this to work. No running away. I promise."

Alex nodded. She leaned closer to him and smiled softly and whispered, "Good." She reached up and took his hand from her face. She gave it a light squeeze.

Never breaking eye contact, Bobby was hyperaware of how close he was to her now. Swallowing hard, he closed the distance. Kissing her, he felt his world spin. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Putting his hand to her cheek, he deepened the kiss.

Breathing hard, Alex finally pulled away. It had been everything she dreamed of and then some. Meeting his eyes, she whispered, "Wow…"

Bobby smiled. He stroked her cheek. "Yeah…"

The spell was broken by a knock on her door. With a frustrated sigh, she pulled away. "Stay here." She got up and walked to the door. Opening the door, her face fell. She was surprised. "Danny…"

Daniel looked her over and smiled. "Alex, I'm glad you're home. I really need to talk to you."

Alex raised her eyebrows. She still couldn't believe he was even there. She didn't even want to waste her time. "We have nothing to talk about, Daniel. Go home to your wife, Elizabeth. We were over when we ran into her at the restaurant. I told you that."

Daniel would not be deterred, "It's over, Alex. I left Elizabeth. She never made me feel like you do. I need more excitement, and I want to be with you."

Shaking her head, Alex stood her ground. "That's fine. Leave her if that's what you want, but not for me. We're done."

Bobby was listening to this from the kitchen. He didn't like any of it. Getting up, he approached the kitchen door, so he could hear better. He didn't feel even a little embarrassed about it either.

Daniel pleaded, "Come on, Alex. There is nothing stopping us now."

Passing irritation and bordering angry, Alex snapped, "Nothing besides I could never trust you." She couldn't believe he had the gall to show up here. Taking a deep breath, she tried to soften her tone a little. "I should never have been with you to start with, Danny. I'm in love with someone else, and we're making it work now. There is no hope for us. You're wasting your time."

Angered by this, Daniel grabbed her arm and pushed her inside. He followed her inside.

Caught off guard by this, Alex momentarily faltered. She allowed herself a moment of fear before steeling herself. Her eyes blazing, she pointed back to the door. "Get out! Get out now, and I don't want to see you again!"

Daniel wasn't listening anymore. Grabbing her wrists, he pinned her to the wall. Before she had a chance to react to him, strong hands wrenched him off of her. Bobby stepped between them. He stared Daniel down and growled, "Don't ever touch her again."

Daniel glared back at him. He refused to back down and he shot back, "You don't tell me how to talk to her."

Looking up at Bobby, she noted that it looked like he had grown ten feet. She could sense what was coming. She reached out and put her hand on his arm. She could feel how tense he was. "He's not worth it." She could feel him relax just a little bit, and she was relieved.

Never taking his eyes off of Daniel, he snarled, "She said get out."

Looking at the two of them, Daniel decided to cut his losses. He finally nodded. "Fine…" He left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Relaxing, Bobby pulled away from Alex and turned to face her. His face softened, and he watched her gingerly rub her wrist for a moment. Concerned, he carefully took her arm into his hand. Examining her wrist, he looked up and caught her eye. "Are you OK?"

Alex nodded mutely. Looking back at the door, she sighed. She finally commented, "I certainly know how to pick them…"

Bobby almost smiled. Letting her hand go, he looked up and studied her face. Reaching up, he stroked her cheek. "Are you sure you're OK?"

Meeting her eyes, she placed her hand on his to still his movement. "I'm fine, Bobby. I promise." She tried to smile.

With a soft nod, Bobby pulled his hand away. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. With a soft sigh, he breathed in her hair and whispered, "I love you."

Alex grinned. Completely relaxing she melted into his arms. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his chest. She murmured, "I love you, too."

Bobby rubbed her back softly. No words were needed. He was just content to hold her. He just needed her with him.

Alex sighed. She finally forced herself to pull away and out of his arms. Looking up, she met his eyes. "We should finish lunch…"

Bobby reluctantly nodded. "Yeah, we should." He hesitated for just a moment before following her into the kitchen.

Sitting back down, Alex was intent on getting this lunch back on track. She watched Bobby sit down. She was about to speak again when her phone rang. Irritated, she rolled her eyes. Reaching over, she grabbed her phone. "Eames…"

Sitting down at his desk, Deakins answered, "I know you two finally went to lunch, but your serial has struck again. The body was found in West Central Park this time."

Alex closed her eyes. Leaning back in her seat, she nodded. "Alright. We'll be right there. Thanks." Looking up at Bobby, she closed her phone and sighed. "Looks like lunch is going to have to be cut short." She hesitated, knowing how he was going to take the next part. "Another body was found in the park."

Bobby nearly winced. He was frustrated by this case. The bodies were piling up, and they were making no headway. He finally nodded. "Alright. Let's go…" There was no need to tell her how this case was starting to affect him. She didn't need that.


End file.
